


Help

by abetternameneeded



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25090633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abetternameneeded/pseuds/abetternameneeded
Summary: Wish!Hook hires help when Alice is young
Kudos: 2





	Help

Killian Jones listened as his new born daughter fussed. He needed to feed her. But how was he supposed to do that? He didn't exactly have the parts he needed for that. He'd heard of women hiring wet nurses when for whatever reason they couldn't nurse the baby themselves. But would anyone be willing to scale the tower? Killian could pay them quite a lot if he had to. Killian sighed. He didn't have a choice Alice needed to eat. He'd hoped the tower would provide that much. It provided real food but it didn't seem to come stocked with the essentials for a baby. And now he'd have to leave her again.

"I'll be back, Alice."

Killian walked away from the tower, worrying the whole time yet again. He needed to leave not for long but it still killed him.

He went to the market. How did he go about finding a wet nurse?

"Can I help you?" a soft spoken fruit vendor asked him. Looks could be deceiving but he seemed nice enough.

"Aye, I need a wet nurse. Do you know of anyone?"

"I do, Iris over there." The man pointed to a woman.

"Thank you."

"My daughter was born a few hours ago and she doesn't have a mother. We live in a tower and I just don't know what to do." This wasn't too unusal mothers died in childbirth all the time.

The woman agreed to help him and walked back to the tower with him.

"When you said tower, I wasn't sure you meant it litterally."

"Is it a problem?" Killian hoped not. Alice needed to eat.

"No. It's fine." They both scaled the tower.

"This is Alice," Killian cautiously handed Alice over to Iris. He worried. He wasn't so sure he trusted her. But he had to put his trust in her. For a while she, or someone else if it came to it, would be feeding Alice every few hours. He couldn't do that part and the tower didn't provide what she needed.

The woman fed Alice and stayed with them for a time. She left after Alice's last feed of the night and returned for her first one. Killian didn't trust her to be there as he slept. He stayed awake far later than he should have. He just worried. His little girl couldn't protect herself yet and if anyone dared harm her they'd have to go through him.

It didn't take long for Iris to notice his distrust which she took to mean something entirely different. Why was he so hell bent on keeping his daughter locked up like this? It was wrong. She feared for the little girl's safety once she was older. She vowed to kidnap the child and give her a proper home with other kids and freedom. But Mr. Jones, who had insisted that she call him Killian but she didn't think he deserved the kindness, never let Alice out of his sight. Not that he could in the tower.

"Alright Mr. Jones, you cannot keep a little girl here forever! She'll want to explore. She'll want to see the world."

Killian sighed and looked at the ground. Of course she would. He wanted to give that to her so badly!

"I know."

"Then find a better home. One that she can walk out of. She won't be able to climb down this tower the way you can for a very very long time."

"She can't leave."

"Mr. Jones that's insane! There's a place for sale down the road from me. You can certainly afford it. Not sure how since you spend most of your time here but at least look at the place."

"No. The tower is bound with blood magic. Has been since she was born. Her so called mother had her just to escape this prison. She can't leave. And I won't abandon her. I'm here most of time because I don't completly trust anyone with her."

"She's nearly weaned, Mr. Jones. And I'm not a babysitter. What'll you do then?"

"I'll find someone to watch her if I absolutley have to go get things but this tower provides most of what we need. Not everything but it's a start."

"I think I know of someone. Known her for a while. Quite a lovely lady. Not much older than me. You can trust her. She does great with kids."

Alice was weaned not long after and Killian interviewed more than a few candidates. He found something wrong with nearly all of them. Most of them were almost too perfect and he couldn't shake the thought they were too good to be true. And then there were the ones with obvious flaws and Alice deserved the best he could find. He finally settled on a woman that seemed to get along with Alice and seemed willing to oblige Killian's request that she watch her few times while he was still home. Just so he could gauge how well she did with Alice at first. He knew it was a little overproetective but he was Alice's entire world and he was worried he'd put his faith in the wrong person again. The babysitting wasn't frequent at first but the woman he hired gained his trust over time. By the time Alice was two he trusted her enough to leave her alone with Alice for a more than a few minutes at a time.

"Aye!" Alice cheered to something her babysitter asked her.

"No, Alex! We don't talk like your father." The woman yelled at Alice. Alice didn't like her. She said bad things about papa. "We are not pirates or scoundrels. You're a lady. Can't you act like it?"

"Alice." The woman hit her, but made sure to strike where it was unlikely the girl's father would see it.

"Do I look like I care? Quiet time. And you're not allowed to tell you father about that."

"Why not?"

"Because if you do, I'll hurt you more. Do you understand me? If he ask where you got a bruise just say you fell while playing. Tell him you're okay."

"What's a bruise?" Alice asked all kinds of questions. She couldn't explore the way other kids could so all of her knowledge of the world came from what papa and Hannah would tell her. Hannah didn't answer most of her questions.

"Doens't matter. Don't ask questions. You're a little girl. No one wants to listen to you."

Alice nodded. She really didn't like having a babysitter. But papa had said she needed one while he was gone. And he didn't stay gone too long. And he always played a game with her or showed her something new from the world when he came back. She still wished he wouldn't leave.

Alice sat and ignored the woman. She wasn't any fun. Papa let her run around. This woman, papa called her a babysitter, didn't. She already didn't have much space. This wasn't nice! And she never said her name right unless papa was around!

Papa came back in. "Did you have fun, Starfish?"

"No." Alice had the slightest pout. Killian didn't understand. Alice found fun in everything.

"You can't win every time, Killian. Will you need me to watch Alice any time soon?"

Killian nodded uncertainly and arranged for the next time he thought he'd need a sitter.

"Alright, my little starfish. Bathtime."

Alice loved baths! They were so much fun! Alice didn't want to be loud any more. What if papa started to act like her babysitter. She'd said no one wanted to listen to her.

Killian assumed Alice was having a bad day and tried to comfort her.

"Starfish, what's wrong?"

Alice shook her head. Killian sighed. That was not how his daughter normally behaved. "You can tell me if something's borhtering you."

Killian was worried. Alice was quiet. But toddlers had bad days, didn't they?

"Okay, you go get Duckie and I'll fill the bath."

Alice did as she was told and came back to get into the bath. Killian noticed a forming bruise on her skin.

"Alice, what's that from?" He gently touched the forming bruise. Alice winced. Ow. Why'd he touch it? It hurt. "Sorry." Killain scolded himself for hurting Alice. It'd been an accident but he was most of her world and he had sworn she'd never feel the way he'd felt in his childhood.

"I was playing with Hannah and I fell. I'm okay."

"Alright," Killian knew Alice ran around a lot and he and Hannah had both tripped up on the stones many times as well. "Bathtime. C'mon."

Alice didn't seem as excited about her bath as she usually was, but Killian chalked it up to just being tired or having a bad day.

Over the next several months every time he was getting ready to leave Alice got more and more agitated. What was going on?

"Don't go!" Alice wasn't a fussy child. But he understood she was young and spent most of her time in a small space with him and only saw the babysitter every few weeks at the most. Usually not even that often. He only really left for diapers and brought other things back with him.

"Starfish, I'll be back. I'll only be gone a little while. And when I get back we can play a game? Alright?"

Alice still cried whenever he was leaving. And seemed to be a little quieter when he came back. But, Alice had told him she was having fun a few times when he'd returned. How was he to know Hannah had told her she had to?

"We don't run! And you are so loud!" Alice was playing the way papa always played with her. He never yelled at her. He never tried to hurt her. She wished he wouldn't leave her alone with this woman. "You are a lady, act like it."

Alice didn't really know what that meant just that she wanted her quiet. Alice glanced out the window.

"You know, your father is the one that's forcing you to stay here. And yet you care for him."

Alice was done with this. And she was a toddler that didn't interact with many people. And hadn't yet learned how to handle her emotions.

"No! He isn't" Killian walked in to the tail end of Alice's tantrum. The crying and the screaming and the "I hate you!" and his formely trusted babysitter striking her. Alice flinched. No. Had she done this before? Is this why Alice screamed and begged everytime he left? He immediadtly regretted hiring a sitter. A wave of guilt struck him as he realized the bruises he'd allowed Alice to dismiss as falls had not come from falls. She was three and their entire home was made of stone! What was he supposed to think? He didn't know she knew how to lie. The woman had taught her how to lie!

"Do not hit my daughter. That is not how we handle tantrums. That is not how we handle anything. We don't use fear to get what we want."

"She's been far better behaved lately hasn't she."

"No! She's not been actling like herself. I knew something was wrong," He scolded himself for not firing the babysitter the moment Alice had started to express not wanting him to go. He thought she just missed him while he was gone. "I should have known what. I don't need her to fear anyone. You're fired. I'll find someone else." Killian panicked. He'd trusted this babysitter. What was stopping the next one being just as bad? Or even worse?

Alice didn't understand why Papa and Hannah was so angry with each other but she didn't like it. She toddled over to Killian, who immediatly picked her up, holding her protectiley and keeping his eyes fixated on her former babysitter.

"Mmmlade?" Alice was hungry and wanted her favorite food. Killian would gladly give it to her. He was feeling more guilt than he usually did.

"Aye, I'll make you a marmalade sandwhich soon. Not right now, ok?"

"Kay," his toddler kept reaching up to mess with his hair. She wanted to run around and play but Hannah was still here and she hated when she did that.

"You coddle her, Captain." In the heat of the moment the woman slipped. Killian held in a breath for a moment. He hadn't. He couldn't have. He glanced at the toddler in his arms and over to the woman he had hired to care for her. He had introduced himself as Killian Jones. All the people that knew of his title were either dead or on a ship in another realm. Except for one.

"I never told you I was once a captain." Killian didn't raise his voice. He dind't want to scare Alice but he was angry. Whether more at himself or the woman he wasn't certain.

She changed into the form he'd seen her in a mere three years ago. "You did, years ago. Remeber? And honestly I'm suprised she's still alive. I thought for certain you'd leave and remeber your quest for revenge." Killian glared. He would never! Sure, at a time that's all that mattered but now Alice was more importaant.

"No."

"Just as well. You're not very good at this whole father thing either. What're you going to do? Reward every tantrum with fish and a game? Spoil her with more dolls than any child needs? Really, this is ridiculous." The witch gestured at the contents of the tower. Killian could admit he might have gone slightly overboard with the number of dolls but she was locked behind bars she couldn't see and she deserved the world. Which he couldn't give to her. And he could certainly afford to give her everything she wanted besides her freedom. He felt guilty fo his part in causing her situation and was trying his best to rectify it. He remebered the part where someone from Gothel's bloodline granted her her freedom.

So if Gothel was stuck here, would Alice be free?

He readjusted Alice in his arms and walked towards the window, throwing a leg over the ledge. Scaling the tower with his toddler daughter wouldn't be easy but he'd have to try. And then they'd find somewhere far away where this witch could never hurt her again.

"It's not that easy, Captain." Gothel sneered. And pulled him away from the window. He caught his balance and landed on his feet. "She has to stay here. My offer still stands. Leave the little girl here and we both get the revenge we want. I on Rapunzel you on that pesky crocodile of yours."

"No." Killian wouldn't abandnon Alice. But he couldn't fight Gothel and hold her but he had to be holding her in order to get her free from this tower. "I won't abandon my daughter."

"Fine, suit yourself. Stay with her. I still get to seek my revenge with or without you. Thought you may have changed your mind. Stay with her for all I care, but know Captain, you'll never free her."

Killian saw red again and tried to push Gothel down with his free hand, or rather hook, but it didn't work and she managed to push him instead. He landed on the ground and the impact caused Alice to start to wail. Killian jumped up standing in front of Alice to protect her from the witch.

"No. I will never abandon her. And you're wrong, I will free her. And you better pray to the gods that when I do you are no where I can find you."

"Suit yourself, Captain, but I'll get my revenge with or without you. And you will die in this prison with your spawn. Oh and one more thing."

Gothel tried to get around Killian but now that he wasn't holding Alice he could fight. He pushed her and pinned her against the towers ledge. His breath hitched. What would he do with the body if she died? What would Alice think if she saw him murder this woman right in front of her.

"Go ahead. Kill me. But then what will your precious daughter think of you?"

Killian released her. She was right. He couldn't kill her. Not in front of Alice. Alice did no he'd done bad things before but he promised her he knew better now. And he wasn't going to break any promise he made to his little starfish.

Gothel magicked herself out of the tower and Killian glanced at Alice. She'd been caught in the crosshairs of their tussle and he worried she'd been hurt. "Are you alright?"

Alice nodded. Killian sighed a breath of relief. Good.

"Right there, lass." Killian knew they needed to talk through any damage Gothel had managed to cause in the few months she spent babysitting. She'd hit Alice. He could tell it had to have been more than once. He was glad he'd managed to get in some of his former pirate skills. Gothel deserved far worse but Alice's safety was more important to him than any revenge. "Wanna help me make dinner?"

Alice nodded.

"Right then," He set Alice gently on the edge of the counter as he cooked carefully watching her to make sure she was safe.

They sat down at the table and he set her favrite food in front of her, hoping it'd make it easier for her to talk to him.

"Starfish," he let Alice eat a little bit of her food before broaching the topic. "Has she hit you before?"

Alice shook her head. She wasn't supposed to tell him. And Hannah was scary.

"Alice, it's okay. She's not allowed to come near you any more. Did she hit you before today?"

Alice nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Killian sighed. He wished he'd noticed the signs. He should have. He'd had the same kinds of bruises as a child.

"Said not to."

"Alice. If anyone ever hurts you, tell me. Even if they tell you not to. Okay? I need to know your safe." Killian pleaded. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone or anything hurting her.

Alice nodded. Wouldn't the next babysitter just be mean too?

They ate and found a game to play. Soon she was back to laughing with him.

Killian didn't know what he was going to do. He had a three year old and couldn't trust anyone to watch her. Gothel could take so many forms. He could't trust anyone around her. He'd have to leave her home alone sometimes. Killian dreaded those days.

Some time passed and Alice forgot about the babysitter and went back to being the happy adventurous child she was and didn't recgonize Gothel when she returned years later from anything outside of her nightmares.

But Killian always remebered and every time he left her he worried Gothel would return and hurt or even kill her and he'd be powerless to stop it.


End file.
